Multi-Wavelength Photometric and Polarimetric Observations of the Outburst of 3C 454.3 in Dec. 2009

TL;DR

This study presents multi-wavelength photometric and polarimetric observations of the 2009 outburst of blazar 3C 454.3, revealing two distinct polarization rotation events and providing insights into jet magnetic field dynamics during the outburst.

Contribution

First detailed multi-wavelength polarimetric monitoring of 3C 454.3's 2009 outburst, identifying two opposite polarization rotation events and analyzing their implications.

Findings

Detected two polarization rotation events with opposite directions.

Observed a 1.3 mag brightness increase during the active phase.

Polarization angle rotated by 240° and 350° in two distinct events.

Abstract

In December 2009, the bright blazar, 3C 454.3 exhibited a strong outburst in the optical, X-ray and gamma-ray regions. We performed photometric and polarimetric monitoring of this outburst in the optical and near-infrared bands with TRISPEC and HOWPol attached to the Kanata telescope. We also observed this outburst in the infrared band with AKARI, and the radio band with the 32-m radio telescope of Yamaguchi University. The object was in an active state from JD 2455055 to 2455159. It was 1.3 mag brighter than its quiescent state before JD 2455055 in the optical band. After the end of the active state in JD 2455159, a prominent outburst was observed in all wavelengths. The outburst continued for two months. Our optical and nearinfrared polarimetric observations revealed that the position angle of the polarization (PA) apparently rotated clockwise by 240 degrees within 11 d in the active state (JD 2455063-2455074), and after this rotation, PA remained almost constant during our monitoring. In the outburst state, PA smoothly rotated counterclockwise by 350 degrees within 35 d (JD 2455157-2455192). Thus, we detected two distinct rotation events of polarization vector in opposite directions. We discuss these two events compared with the past rotation events observed in 2005, 2007 and 2008.